Critical Thinking: Removed at a Very Young Age

A friend who is currently wrapping up a three-year stint as a university teacher in here Japan has exorcised a few negative demons by discussing at length some of the curious and frustrating student behavior he's experienced. This is one memorable excerpt:

When it comes to figuring out the meaning of an unknown word, it is evident that students trust their dictionary more than me. I frequently remind my students that the translation that they get for words and expressions may be inaccurate or inappropriate, and for this reason it's best to consult with a native speaker when there is uncertainty. However, it's rare that students will ask me about a word. This lack of questioning is symptomatic of the larger problem of the way that students and teachers interact. What do Japanese teachers implicitly teach their students about learning? That questions are unacceptable? Or maybe just not part of the way of doing things. I guess it all goes back to Confucianism and simply not questioning, but accepting everything uncritically. They must train their students to sit silently be passive, listening recipients or at least to look like they're listening. If a student does ask a question, they risk standing out in class and becoming the object of scorn of their classmates, maybe. Concern about what others think outweighs everything else. So you may think it's futile to bother posting a question to the class considering that it's almost guaranteed that I will not get an answer. I still do it now and then just to see what will happen. 5% of the time I will get an answer. But it will often be the same person, that brave soul who does not care about standing out or maybe already does for other reasons. I once had a student who regularly engaged me in class. Was it a coincidence that she was bound to a wheelchair?

Here's a bit of my response to him:

It seems to me that a shockingly high number of young people in this society

1. can't just throw caution to the wind and just "play along"
2. even when able to throw caution to the wind often refuse to "play along"
3. are generally picky and easily upset by anything out of the norm.

Sound unfair? I've been here five years and I'm searching for evidence to the contrary. The source of the finicky attitudes among university students might be a matter of dispute, but its presence is no secret to anyone. The fact is, the students really are spoon fed in other areas both in and out of the classroom (as you know I'm sure) and there's not a whole lot of deep figuring out to be done in ways that help to develop certain problem solving skills and cognitive strategies. Children in Japan are generally not given the opportunity to develop the cognitive tools to learn languages, and other a few other things that involve similar types of engagement and critical thinking.

This little exchange catches us in an admittedly aggressive mood, but these comments would be likely uncontroversial to those who've been at the head of a Japanese classroom, heart ablaze with the intention of arming learners with skills and motivation.

What do you think? I welcome comments.